Get the Lead Out

As millions of Americans participate in the ritual and sport of hunting this fall and winter, whether for recreation or the dinner table, it is important to remember that hunters can make all the difference in the health of birds and other wildlife by choosing non-lead ammunition. Lead poisoning from bullets kills many large birds like vultures, hawks, eagles, and ravens which feed on carcasses, and lead can also contaminate game meat for human consumption. Campaigns to reduce the use of lead bullets have resulted in saving some of the rarest of birds, like the California Condor, the largest landbird in North America, which was on the brink of extinction several decades ago due primarily to lead poisoning (https://www.fws.gov/cno/es/CalCondor/Condor.cfm). Fortunately, there are alternatives to lead bullets, such as copper, which are commercially available and equally effective, that allow you to protect wildlife for future generations of outdoor enthusiasts, consumptive and non-consumptive alike!